Film developing apparatus



Feb. 10, 1970 R. s. KAMPF ETAL 3,494,273

v FILM DEVELOPING APPARATUS I Filed July 27, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS R/(WA/M x K4411;

Feb. 10, 1970 R. s. KAMPF ETAL 3,494,273

FILM DEVELOPING APPARATUS Filed July 27, 1967 3 sheets sheet 2 47 46 f7 30 if 14 MUMWZF Feb. 10, 1970 R. S IKAMPF ETAL FILM DEVELOPING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS Elf/A4190 I. Ad/i/PF (1/1/67? 4% [)4/Vfl Filed July 27, 1967 United States Patent Cfice 3,494,273 Patented Feb. 10, 1970 3,494,273 FILM DEVELOPING APPARATUS Richard S. Kampf and Elmer J. Land, Costa Mesa, Califi, assignors to Philco-Ford Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 27, 1967, Ser. No. 656,381 Int. Cl. G03d 3/10 US. CI. 9589 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dental X-ray film processor adapted to receive exposed X-ray film chips in their packages, and to deliver the dry processed film chips. A rotatable tray is provided with a plurality of film chip extraction forks. Exposed film packs are impaled on the forks, and an extractor is positioned and arranged to strip the film chips from their packs as they are rotated ona tray and presented sequentially to a loading station. The individual film chips are then moved to a developing station and fed into a mechanical holder positioned and operable to immerse the supported film chips sequentially into chambers filled with developing and finished solutions. A drying station provided after the developing station includes means for blowing heated air over the chips, and a te minal station includes means for extracting the film chips from holders and then delivering them to an outlet chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention herein described was made in the course of or under a contract thereunder with the Department of the Army.

This invention relates to film developing apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for automatically developing exposed films. While of broader applicability, the invention has particular utility in the developing of dental X-ray film chips.

Heretofore, the processing of dental X-ray film chips has required a number of manual operations carried out by skilled technicians in darkrooms. The present invention has as a general objective the provision of rapid automatic developing apparatus that is self-contained, is characterized by high degree of portability, and requires neither darkrooms nor skilled technicans for carrying out the developing operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises apparatus arranged to accept a number of exposed film chip packets, and operable automatically to remove the chips from the packets, chemically to process and dry each film chip sequentially, and to present the dry developed film chips for removal by an operator of the apparatus. A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a plurality of both vertically and circumferentially spaced processing sections arranged about a centrally located, reversibly rotatable shaft operable by a prime mover. As the prime mover is operated selectively in its forward and in its reverse directions, it effects sequential presentation of the film chips at the appropriate processing stations.

A more complete understanding of the invention will be had by making reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in light of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective showing, on a reduced scale, of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective showing of apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1, as seen from the rear, and from which the outer cover, as well as some internal parts, have been removed;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view taken generally in the direction of arrows 33 applied to FIGURE 2, with some parts removed and others fragmented for the sake of clarity;

FIGURE 4 is an end view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 3, as seen looking in the direction of arrows 44 applied thereto;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged elevational-sectional showing of apparatus seen in FIGURE 1, looking generally in the direction of arrows 5-5 applied to the latter figure;

FLIGURE 6 is a generally diagrammatic showing, in perspective, of portions of the apparatus illustrated in FIG- URES 3, 4 and 5;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational showing of a portion of the apparatus shown in the preceding figures, and illustrating a feature of construction of such portion;

FIGURES 8 and 9 illustrate features of operation of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in the preceding figures; and

FIGURES 10 through 13 illustrate features of operation of another portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIG- URES 1 through 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With more detailed reference to the drawing, and first with reference to FIGURES l, 2 and 5, apparatus 10 embodying the invention comprises a generally cylindrical, light-impervious housing 11 supported upon a base por tion D and provided at its upper end with an opening 12 over which is positioned a hinged circular lid or door 13. Housing 11 is removable, as is seen in FIGURE 2, for servicing various operating elements of the apparatus and is held in place by knurled nuts 18 (FIGURE 1) engaging threaded ends of rods 19 (FIGURES 2 and 5) that extend through an upwardly facing annular flange portion of the housing. The rods are supported in base portion D, and have tubular members 20 fitting thereover which serve both as spacers and as supports for vertically spaced, generally disk-shaped decks A, B, and C. The base, rods, and decks comprise the basic frame structure supporting operating elements more fully described in what follows.

A reversible motor 14 (FIGURE 5 including a doubleended shaft 15 is located in the lower region D of housing 11, and is arranged to drive, from the lower end of its shaft 15, air impeller 16 of a blower 16a operable to direct air over a heating element 17, for subsequent direction through a discharge conduit 38 leading into film drying chambers 37. The upper end of motor shaft 15 drives a central, vertically extending shaft 21 that operates mechanism (described later) disposed in the upper main portion of housing 11 and arranged for rotation about the central shaft.

A turntable 22, also called a film loading tray, is disposed upon deck A in substantial axial alignment with the opening 12 of housing 11, and is arranged to be rotated in step-by-step manner about a spindle 30, to move film chip packets 27 past a film chip stripping and loading station. As seen to advantage in FIGURES 5 and 6, turntable 22 includes an inner hub portion 23, disposed about spindle 30, and an outer rim portion 24, the two portions being interconnected by spoke-like members 25 having upwardly presented forks 26.

Still with reference to FIGURES 5 and 6, and also with reference to FIGURES 8 and 9, forks 26 are arranged to receive thereon envelopes of film chip packets 27 so that a suitably positioned ejector blade 28, when moved downwardly against a supported film packet 27, is operable to tear through the envelope portion of the packet (FIGURE 8) and to force the film chip 29 from an opening in the envelope (FIGURE 9). As film chip 29 is forced from the envelope it is urged through intermediate structure disposed between decks A and B, and fully described below in conjunction with FIGURES 6 and 10 to 13, into slotted portions 34 of a pair of vertically extending rod-like members 33 (FIGURES 5 and 6). These latter members are supported upon arms 35, including slotted portions 350 aligned with members 33, for both vertical reciprocable and rotatable movements relative to central shaft 21, between decks B and C. The vertical rod-like members 33 are movable in step-by-step fashion around the inner portion of cylindrical housing 11 and are arranged sequentially to dip the film chips 29 into a series of chambers 36 illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 5, and containing developing and finishing solutions of different types. While the number and contents of chambers 36 may vary, there are five such chambers in the present embodiment. Of this number, one is supplied with a developing solution, two are supplied with fix solutions, and two are supplied with wash solutions.

Following dipping of film chips 29 into the developing solutions in chambers 36, the chips are inserted into drying chambers 37 through which heated air is forced to fiow by operation of blower impeller 16. After being dried, film chips 29 are moved to an unloading station where they are stripped from the supporting rod members 33 and fed into a small, removable container 41 (FIGURE 6) in stacked sequence corresponding to the order in which they were loaded upon the loading tray. The small container 41 is accessible through an opening (not shown) provided in the side wall of housing 11, and which can be opened and closed by a hinged door 42 (FIGURE 1).

Considering operating elements of the apparatus in more detail, and with further particular reference to FIGURES 1, 2, and 5, film loading tray 22 is removably mounted upon spindle 30, and has its inner hub portion 23 and outer rim portion 24 bridged by a number of sets18 in this embodiment-of fork Supports 25 on which film packets 27 are loaded. From inspection of FIGURE 5 it will be noted that the axis of rotation of tray 22 has slight lateral displacement with respect to the axis of shaft 21 for the sake of convenience of location of the cooperating linkages described below. As is illustrated in FIGURE 6, a plurality of notches 44 are equally spaced on the periphery of the outer rim portion 24 of tray 22. These notches 44 are positioned for engagement by a movable indexing pin 64 so that tray 22 may be rotatably indexed to position, one packet at a time, beneath film removal blade 28 supported on rods 46 and 47. Bushings 51 on rod 47 are slidable is slotted tube 52 affixed to decks A and B (FIGURES 2, 5 and 6) and provide for vertical reciprocable movements of the blade support structure. Also, bushings 51 provide for pivotation of the blade support structure, while in its upper position, to accommodate removal and insertion of a film tray 22. Upon pivotation of the blade support structure, the free end portion of rod 46 is movable horizontally into horizontal groove 31 (FIGURE 1) in spindle to the position shown. In this position, the free end portion of rod 46 engages a traveling nut 53 so that blade 28 will be moved up and down by the nut. As is illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 7, a resilient split ring 54 is seated within groove 55 in nut 53, and the end of rod 46 is positioned directly under the opening defined by spaced, tapered ends of ring 54 to provide the abovementioned operating interengagernent of the rod 46 with the nut 53. If blade 28 were to encounter a defective packet 27, for example one that would not open, the tapered open portion of ring 54, and the vertical slot 55a thereabove, would move downwardly over the end of horizontally extending rod 46 to prevent damage to either blade 28 or forks 26.

Traveling nut 53 is provided with left-hand threads, and is releasably threaded onto motor-driven shaft 21, for movements along the latter. Shaft 21 also carries the tree assembly comprising flanged sleeve 31 (FIGURE 5), arms 35, and vertically extending grooved rods 33, as described below. Rotation of nut 53 is prevented by pin 56 which is slidably restrained in a vertically extending slot 57 (FIGURE 5) of spindle 30. For the sake of convenience, there is shown only the rear portion of the spindle structure that defines slot 57. Rotation of shaft 21 in one direction causes nut 53, and consequently blade 28, to be moved downwardly, and, at the same time, causes the tree assembly to be moved upwardly since a sleeve 48 keyed to shaft 21 and the lower flanged 'portion 91 of the tree assembly are interengaged by means of right-handed threads. Rotation of shaft 21 in the opposite direction returns nut 53 to its upper position and moves the tree assembly to its lower position.

As traveling nut 53 is moved to its upper position illustrated in full lines in FIGURE 5, its threads will run off the end of the upper, left-handedly threaded portion of shaft 21. Nut 53 wil remain in this position while the tree assembly is in its lower position, illustrated in full lines, in the time period required for any one of the processing functions, i.e. immersion of film in the developing and the drying chambers. Electrical apparatus controlling the functions and duration of various steps is described later. Shaft 21 will rotate freely during this time, while motor 14 drives blower wheel or impeller 16 to direct air into the drying chamber 37. At the end of the processing time period, motor 14 is reversed, to drive nut 53 to its lower position, illustrated in broken lines in FIGURE 5, where it again runs off the threaded portion of shaft 21. A relatively weak spring 62 reacting vertically between deck A and pin 56 keeps nut 53 lightly loaded against the threads, so that, when shaft 21 is again reversed, the threads will re-engage to return nut 53 lower position.

As best seen in FIGURES 3, 4 and 6- a horizontally movable slide bar 63 is guided by a slot 68 in deck A and provided with a generally vertically presented pin 64. Slide bar 63 is linked to traveling nut 53 by means of a cord 65 affixed to pin 64 and which rides over a number of fixed pulleys 66 mounted beneath the top deck A. A microswitch 67 mounted beneath slide bar 63 is actuated by the bar when it is in the position shown, to signal the control system that nut 53 is in its upper position and, consequently, the tree assembly is in its lower position.

Tension spring 71, also connected to slide 'bar 63 and extending over pulleys 66a to fixed connection with deck A, is operable to move the slide bar to the left, as viewed in FIGURE 6 (to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 3) and also to rotate the bar about its longitudinal axis so as to urge pin 64 against the outer rim 24 of tray 22 for engaging a notch 44. To achieve such rotation, spring 71 is given an initial twisting before it is anchored to deck A.

As shaft 21 is rotated clock-wise, as seen from its top end in FIGURE 3, nut 53 is caused to move downwardly toward its broken line position shown in FIGURE 5. Blade 28 is moved downwardly by the movement of nut 53, and is caused to tear through packet 27 (FIGURES 8 and 9) and force film chip 29 from the packet, through the loading tray, after which it falls by gravity into a chute 72 where it comes to rest on stop 74 of resilient release wire 73 (FIGURES 6 and 10). As nut 53 continues to travel downwardly, cord 65 is slackened, permitting slide bar 63 to be moved to the left (FIGURE 6) by tension spring 71 until nut 53 reaches its lower position, whereupon pin 64 is positioned to engage the next notch 44.

Also as nut 53 moves downwardly, the tree assembly comprising tree arms 35 is moved upwardly (broken lines, FIGURE and is indexed to move each arm 35 to its next station. Indexing is achieved by means of a clutch and latch mechanism to be explained later in the description of the preferred embodiment.

It is well to explain at this point that each of arms 35 is movable vertically between the limits shown in broken and solid lines in FIGURE 5, attachment of the arms to the threaded member of the tree assembly being provided through the sliding, friction fit of the bores of tubes 39 with guide tubes 94. Also, each of the arms 35 includes a portion 35a slidable in a vertically extending keyway 40 provided on the elongated sleeve or spindle portion 31 of the tree assembly. As indexing of the tree assembly takes place, a tree arm 35 engages and urges resilient release wire 73 to the position shown in FIGURE 11 (broken lines, FIGURE 6), releasing the retained film chip 29 to drop through slotted portion 350 of tree arm 35, and into position between film guide rods 33. Film chip 29 does not drop into its fully seated position because one of the film guides 33 is pivoted on tree arm 35 and lightly spring-loaded by a leaf spring 49 (see the right-hand upper position of arm 35 in FIGURE 5) so that it may swing to the illustrated dotted-line position (i.e. toward the other guide) when no film chip is present.

Motor 14 is then reversed to drive shaft 21 to move nut 53 to its upper position (full lines, FIGURE 5) and to move slide bar '63 to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 6 (to the left, FIGURE 3), through a pull on cord 65 to rotate the film loading tray 22 (see directional arrow, FIGURE 6) by means of pin 64 being urged against the sides of notch 44. By this action, another film chip packet is positioned beneath blade 28 (FIGURE 8). Concurrently, the tree assembly is moved downwardly (full lines, FIGURE 5) to position supported film chips 29 in the various processing stations. As this is done, film release wire 73 returns to its posit-ion as shown in FIG- URE 12 (see also full line showing of 73 in FIGURE 6). Upon the next movement of the tree assembly upwardly, the tree arm 35 is elevated to the position shown in FIG- URE 13, whereby spring 73 engages and seats a film chip against wire stop 32 on finger 33 (FIGURE 6). Tree arm 35 is then indexed to the left to a position above a developing chamber 36, and the adjacent tree arm 35 follows it, as illustrated in FIGUURES and 11, to move the film release wire 73 and its stop 74, and permit another film chip 29 to drop into the arm.

Whereas film chip chute 72 taken with film release wire 73 comprises the pick-up station of processor, the station just prior to the pick-up station is the ejection station. The ejection station comprises a post 75 so p0- sitioned that as the tree arm 35 with its film chip 29 is moved down after having left the drying chamber 37, the lower edge of the film chip engages a groove 75a provided in the top of post 75. The groove is so shaped and positioned as to cause the film chip to be pushed upwardly from between guide slots 34 in rods 33, until tree arm assembly reaches its lower position. Thereupon film chip 29 is pushed through slot 35c, clear of the top of an arm 35 and pivots about its lower edge in the slot 75a, falling to one side and moving down a slide 76 into film removal box 41.

As the tree assembly is moved upwardly to receive a new film chip 29, it is indexed (or rotated), according to the directional arrows seen in FIGURES 3 and 6, to move all of tree arms 35 to their next stations. Indexing is provided by means of a clutch assembly 77 illustrated in full and in broken lines in FIGURE 5, and which clutch assembly is operably engaged when the tree assembly is in its upper position (broken lines, FIGURE 5), and a latch assembly 81 (FIGURES 3 and 5) which limits rotation of the clutch assembly 77 to the extent required to move the tree arms 35 from one of their corresponding stations to the next.

The clutch assembly 77 includes a driving ring 82 keyed to shaft 21 for rotation therewith, and a springloaded disc 83 which is attached to the top flange 84 of the tree assembly by means of three equally spaced screws 85 (one illustrated, FIGURE 5) extending with clearance through holes 88 in disc 83. Three compression springs 87 (one shown, FIGURE 5) are equally spaced between the three screws 85, in cavities 86 of flange 84. Springs 87 bear against disc 83 urging it upwardly. Disc 83 normally is retained by the heads of screws 85, when clutch assembly 77 is not operating. As the tree assembly is moved upwardly to the broken line position in FIGURE 5, disc 83 engages ring 82, and torque is transmitted from the disc keyed to shaft 21, through the screws 85 to flange 84. Torque gradually increases, as springs 83 are compressed, reaching a value sufficient to rotate the tree assembly.

When the tree assembly reaches this upper position, the lower threaded flange 91 of the tree assembly runs off the top of the threaded section of the shaft 21. When rotation of the shaft 21 is reversed, lower flange 91 will run back onto the threads until the flange reaches its lower position, whereupon it runs ofl the opposite end of the threads. Compression spring 92 reacts between the motor 14 and flange 91, and is just strong enough to support the tree assembly and to keep flange 91 lightly loaded against the threads so that it will run back on the threads when rotation of shaft 21 is again reversed.

The presence of the tree assembly in its upper position is signalled by means of a microswitch 68 operably engageable by the tree assembly flange 84. As is seen partly in FIGURES 3 and 5, and also in FIGURE 6, microswitch 68 is supported by a bracket 78 mounted on deck A. Bracket 78 supports an additional microswitch 79 that operable by a vertically movable rod 80 also supported by the bracket for such movement. Rod 80 includes a pair of reduced diameter portions 89 and 9t} spaced along its length and serving as camming surfaces for operating microswitch 79. 'Rod 80 is urged by a compression spring 102 to an upper position when lid 13 is open, in which position the microswitch arm is actuated by the thicker portion of rod 80 between the reduced diameter portions 89 and 90, to deenergize the apparatus. Closing the lid pushes rod 80 down, permitting the arm of microswitch 79 to ride into reduced diameter portion 89, thereby providing for energization of the apparatus. Should it be desired to energize the apparatus while lid 13 is opened or when the entire housing 11 and lid is removed, as may be the case when servicing the machine, the operator moves rod 80 manually to an upper position in which the arm of microswitch 79 rides into reduced diameter portion 90. Upon completion of servicing, rod 80 is moved manually to its normal rest, or lid open, position where it may be again engaged by the lid when it is closed.

Rotation of the tree assembly is prevented and accurate positioning is provided by means of a fixed pin 93 which extends vertically into one of tree arm guide tubes 94. When the tree assembly is in its upper position, and the clutch is engaged, the guide tubes 94 rise above the ends of pins 93 freeing the tree assembly for rotation by the clutch.

With reference to FIGURES 3 and 5, the latch assembly 81 is mounted on a block 95, and includes a hooked catch 96 and a stop 97 rotatable horizontally about a vertically extending pin 98. The ends of catch 96 and stop 97 are interconnected by a spring 99, and stop pins 100 and 101 limit travel of the catch 96 and stop 97.

As the tree assembly is moved to its upper position, tree arm guide tubes 94 will rotate as hereinabove described. Spring 99 is extendable to enable catch 96 to pivot in a right-hand direction (FIGURE 3), and into position to engage a guide tube 94, as shown, to prevent reverse rotation of the guide tube, while stop 97 (solid line showing thereof) is resiliently urged by extended spring 99 against the adjacent tree arm guide tube 94. This is the latched position assumed while loading tray 22 is caused to rotate.

Latch 96 and stop 97 hold the tree assembly in this latched, non-rotatable position as it starts down, until pin 93 again engages its corresponding guide tube 94, further to prevent its rotation and ensure its continued downward movement. As the tree assembly is moved downwardly, guide tube 94 disengages stop 97, permitting it under the urging of spring 99 to rotate in a right-hand direction (FIGURE 3) to its opposite rest position (broken line showing). On the next upward movement of the tree assembly, the next guide tube 94 moves up to the right of stop 97. The tree assembly then rotates until the next pair of guide rods 94 are halted by stop 97 and engaged by latch 96 as hereinabove described.

It will of course be understood that the described functions are controlled by known means, some of which are accessible through a panel P, and including, by way of example, relays, logic controls, and power supply means. The sequence of operation of the apparatus may be controlled automatically by means of a program timing device of well-known type comprising cams, cam actuated switches, and a motor for driving the cams. Adjustable means may also be provided to control the film immersion time, whereby to accommodate different types of films. Also, and as has been discussed in connection with FIG- URES 3, and 6, a microswitch 68 is positioned and adapted for engagement by tree assembly flange 84 as indication of its upper position. Independent of this are reed switches 70 (FIGURES 3 and 5), each located in a position corresponding to the indexed position of each tree arm 35, with the exception of the pickup, or loading, and ejection stations. Reed switches 70 are operable by magnets 69 provided on sleeve portions 39 of each arm to indicate the rotated position of an arm relative to the flange 84, and hence the remainder of the tree assembly. For example, arms 35 with their switch-actuating magnets 69 remain in an upper position at all processing and drying stations when no films 29 are carried by rods 33. However, all arms 35 move to down position at the pickup and at the ejection stations. The purpose of the reed switches 70, which are wired in series electrical circuit, is to complete a circuit when all tree arms, except those at the pickup and ejection stations, are in upper positions and the tree assembly down switch 67 is closed. This condition prevails when processing is complete. Consequently the completed circuit through the reed switches 70 actuates a relay (not shown) to shut-off the apparatus automatically.

Turning now to portions of the apparatus supported on deck C, and seen in FIGURES 2 and 5, each developing chamber 36 comprises a main fluid tank portion 104 open at its upper end, and so shaped and positioned as to receive the rods 33, for immersion in the fluid, as they are moved downwardly with a film chip 29 supported therebetween. Fluid is supplied by gravity to each tank portion 104 from a bottle 107 through conduit means comprising a flexible tube portion 106, and a passage portion 106a formed in the body of chamber 36 and leading downw-ardly into the fluid flow communication with the lower region of tank portion 104. An intermediate portion 106b of the conduit means, i.e. the connection between portions 106 and 106a, is open to the atmosphere. Flexible tube 106 is attached by a screw cap at its upper end to the neck of an inverted supply bottle 107. The upper, or film access opening in tank 104 is ported to another conduit 111 that extends down into fluid flow communication with a fluid drain sump 112. It is seen that in the region of conduit portion 10612 conduit portion 106a is cut on a bias such that the upper lip of the angular opening is substantially at the level of the lower edge of overflow port 111. The construction and arrangement is such that fluid is fed from a bottle 107 by gravity until its flow is halted by the cut-off of air as the result of the fluid level rising above the upper lip of the angular open end of the tube 106a. As a film 29, and support rods 33 therefor, are inserted in tank portion 104, the fluid filled chamber is displaced a sufficient amount to cause its level to rise, and small quantity of fluid overflows through port 111 into drain sump 112. As film 29 and support rods 33 are removed from tank portion 104, by elevation of the tree assembly, the fluid level falls below the lip of the open end of fluid conduit portion 106a allowing air to enter bottle 107. This causes more fluid to flow from the bottle until the fluid level is raised in both tank portion 104 and conduit portion 106b sufficient to cover the lip of conduit portion 106a and thereby halt air supply to the bottle. By this construction, a very small quantity of fresh fluid is supplied to the chamber each time a film is removed. Due to the U-tube configuration of the tank portion 104, with respect to fluid supply conduit 106, the fresh fluid is always introduced into the lower region of the tank and spent fluid is continually removed from the upper portion of the tank.

Each of the bottles 107, only one of which has been shown in each of FIGURES 2 and 5 for the sake of convenience, is replaceable, with over 11 removed, merely by removing it from the retaining slots (FIGURES 3 and 5) and unscrewing the bottle from the cap. A new, fluid filled bottle is inserted by screwing it to the cap, with the conduit 106 flexed and the bottle in upright position, followed by restoring the bottle to the positions shown. The developing chambers will then be filled, automatically, as described hereinabove.

Drying chamber means 37 is angularly displaced from the developing chamber and comprises a plurality of film receiving openings defined by an air passage means through which heated air is caused to flow from blower 16 by way of conduit 38. In-flow and out-flow of air relative to housing 11 is provided by suitable light-impervious grill means such as is seen at G in FIGURE 1.

It will be appreciated that the invention contemplates that the number of developing and drying chambers may be varied as required. Also, the nature of the fluids may be varied at the will of the user.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the invention affords a complete, automatic, dental X-ray film processor which starts with an exposed X-ray film package and delivers a dry, processed negative. The processor is self contained and is characterized by a high degree of portability. It will be understood, of course, that modifications may be made in the illustrated preferred embodiment, without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In unitary apparatus for developing film, the combination comprising: means including a first support structure for receiving and retaining film packets including exposed films contained in light proof envelopes; means for stripping said films from said envelopes while retained in said support structure; means defining a second support structure for receiving and retaining said stripped films; means defining a plurality of developing chambers; means defining a film drying station; and means for rotating said second support structure to feed said film sequentially to said developing chambers and to said drying station, said apparatus being further characterized in that said first support structure comprises a wheel rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, said wheel including generally vertical extending, circumferentially spaced rack and guide means for receiving a film packet and for guiding said stripped film to said second support structure, said last recited structure being rotatable about an axis substantially coinciding with the axis of said wheel.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, and further characterized in that said wheel is removable, and is constructed and arranged to provide for mounting of film packets thereon prior to mounting of said wheel on said apparatus.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 and further characterized by the inclusion of means for guiding said film from 'said wheel to said second support structure, upon stripping of said film from said packet.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, and further characterized in that said second support structure comprises a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced arms each including slot means for receiving film in a generally vertical plane, and having aligned therewith a pair of vertically extending rods having film receiving grooves, one of said rods being fixed and the other pivotally mounted for movement toward and away from the other rod, insertion of a film into said grooves being operable to pivot said rod away from the other and means for resiliently urging said pivotally mounted rod toward the other rod.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, and further characterized in that each said developing chamber includes aperture means for receiving said vertically extending rods when a film is supported thereby, said other rod when pivoted toward the one rod, in the absence of a supported film, being positioned for abutting engagement with said chamber, whereby insertion of the rods into a chamber is prevented.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 and further characterized in that said spaced arms are mounted also for vertically reciprocable movements, toward and away from said guide means, said latter means including a generally vertically extending chute arranged at its upper end to receive a film from said wheel and at its lower end to deliver a film through a slot to said rods, said chute having affixed thereto a generally vertically extending wire spring supported from its one end toward the upper end of said chute, said spring further including an intermediate offset portion extending normally into the path of a film sliding down said chute, and a lower bent portion extending beyond said chute and into the path of rotational movement of said arms while in an upper position, said arm being operable to flex said spring and move said olfset out of the path of a film, permitting it to slide into said slot as said arms are elevated.

7. In a unitary apparatus for developing film, the combination comprising: means including a first support structure for receiving and retaining film packets including exposed films contained in light proof envelopes; means for stripping said films from said envelopes while retained in said support structure; means defining a second support structure for receiving and retaining said stripped films, and including a plurality of pairs of substantially parallel vertically extending rods having confronting longitudinal slots for receiving and retaining the stripped films; means defining a plurality of developing chambers, each including a pair of generally vertically extending conduits interconnected at their lower ends whereby fluid will fill both conduits to a predetermined level, one of said conduits being open at its upper end to receive a film and its support rods, an overflow port in the region of the upper end of said one conduit, at a level above the upper portion of an immersed film, whereby the level of fluid will be established at the level of said port and an immersed film and its rods will displace a small volume of fluid for overflow through said port, and means for automatically feeding makeup fluid through said other conduit as the level of fluid drops below the overflow port upon removal of a film and its support rods from said one conduit; means defining a film drying station; and

means for rotating said second support structure to feed said film sequentially, to said developing chambers and to said drying station.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, and further characterized in that said means for feeding fluid comprises a closed fluid supply container disposed at a level above the level of said conduits and said overflow port, and tube means interconnecting said supply container and said other conduit, said tube means being open to atmosphere at a level corresponding to the level of the efiective opening of said overflow port, whereby a drop in fluid level will cause fluid to flow from such supply container until the recited opening of said tube means is reached by the fluid level, the flow of fluid thereupon being halted.

9. In unitary apparatus for developing film, the combination comprising: means including a first support structure for receiving and retaining film packets includ ing exposed films contained in light proof envelopes; means for stripping said films from said envelopes while retained in said support structure; means defining a second support structure for receiving and retaining said stripped films; means defining a plurality of developing chambers, each said developing chamber comprising a first, generally vertically extending film receiving portion and a second generally vertically extending treatment fluid supply portion, said first and second portions being disposed in fluid flow communication in lower regions thereof, whereby fluid will rise to substantially the same levels in both portions, and means for establishing and maintaining a fluid level in said first portion including a fluid overflow port at a level above the level of immersion of a film carried by said second support structure, and means responsive to a drop in fluid level in said second fluid supply portion to introduce makeup fluid to said first treatment portion in its lower region, upon immersion of a film and said second support structure to cause overflow of fluid, followed by a drop in fluid level upon withdrawal of said film and its support from the second, treatment portion; means defining a film drying station; and means for rotating said second support structure to feed said films sequentially to said developing chambers and to said drying station.

'10. Unitary apparatus for developing film including means defining a film loading station, means defining a film developing station, means defining a film drying station, and rotatable means operable to receive a film at said loading station, and to feed said film sequentially thereafter in incremental angular movements, to said developing station and to said drying station, said apparatus being featured by provision of frame structure for supporting the recited elements in vertically spaced relation, and comprising: a base portion; a plurality of vertically extending rods supported upon said base portion; a plurality of vertically spaced deck portions disposed above said base portion; and spacer means on said rods, each engaging a deck portion to support the latter upon said base portion and to maintain the recited spaced disposition of said deck portions.

11. In unitary apparatus for developing film, the combination comprising: means defining a packaged film loading station; means defining a film developing station; means defining a film drying station; and means operable to strip film from its package at said loading station and to feed such film sequentially thereafter, in incremental angular movements, to said developing station and to said drying station, said last recited means including a wheel for supporting packaged film and rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, said wheel including generally vertically extending, circumferentially spaced rack and guide means, and a plurality of vertically reciprocable rotatably mounted film support arms substantially coaxial with said wheel, and motor means rotatable about an axis substantially coinciding with the axes of said wheel and said support arms, for rotating said wheel and said arms in an opposite sense relative to one another to ac- 1 1 1 2 commodate guiding of each said film from said wheel to 3,353,470 11/1967 Zane 95--94 a support arm for feeding the film to said film develop- 3,412,667 11/1968 Hunt 9593 ing and drying stations.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner References 5 ROBERT W. ADAMS, Assistant Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,271,571 9/1966 Klem a a1. 95-89 X CL 3,314,352 4/1967 Grant l 95-91 X 9593 

